


Critical Media Studies

by zarabithia



Category: Actor RPF, The Runaways (2010) RPF
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 00:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2831483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elle is the first person to call Dakota and ask if she is really going to quit acting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Critical Media Studies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anna/gifts).



> The interview in question comes from [this website](http://www.ibtimes.com/dakota-fanning-feuding-sister-elle-fanning-famous-sisters-reportedly-growing-apart-1520410)

The flight back to New York is a long one, and there is literally no reason for Dakota to want to do anything remotely social with anyone other than the amazing girlfriend who is waiting at Dakota's apartment. If Dakota is being honest, most of the "social" interactions with Kristen won't even take place until tomorrow; the benefit of dating a fellow actress is that they understand certain inconveniences, like long flights, jet-lagged actresses, and boring press tours that include the same five questions Dakota has been answering since she turned 18. 

Dakota makes it back to her apartment and into her bed before her plans are thwarted by a phone call from her sister. It's weird, hearing her sister's voice at 2 a.m. Mostly it's weird because Elle at 16 is an entirely different person than she had been when _Dakota_ had been 16. 

Their parents tell them both that it is a growing pain, that it will pass. But her parents haven't been 16 in a very long time, so Dakota is not so sure that their heads are in the right place, even if their hearts definitely are. 

"Did I wake you?" Elle asks, and Dakota glances over to where Kristen is lying on the bed next to her. The correct answer to Elle's question is _yes_ , because after a nine hour flight and some particularly bored and extra invasive paparazzi, Dakota had wanted nothing more than comforting take-out and sleepy snuggles in her bed with her girlfriend. 

She'd been enjoying both, when Elle had called. But in the spirit of living up to that big sister t-shirt she'd once worn with pride, Dakota says, "No, not at all. What's up, baby sis?" 

"I'm not a baby," Elle sighs. "You aren't really quitting, are you? You'd tell me if you were, right?" 

"Quitting what? NYU?" 

There's a pause, before Elle answers her. "Acting. Are you quitting acting?" 

Dakota is pretty sure that this is one of the most ridiculous things that anyone has ever asked her, and that includes all of the press during both _Hounddog_ and _The Runaways._ But in the interest of being a decent big sister, she says, "No, Elle. I am not quitting." 

"You'd tell me if you were, right? I mean. I know that New York is pretty far away, but ... "

"Elle," Dakota says tiredly. "I just came off a nine hour flight, so I really don't feel up to having this conversation, but I promise you, I am not quitting acting. And yes, I would tell you if I was. You'd be at least the second or third person that I would tell." 

"Second. I'd better be second," Elle protests indignantly. 

Dakota smiles and glances down at the woman beside her. "Third, definitely third." 

"Ugh, you were so much more likable when you still lived at home," Elle says huffily. 

"You were much more sensible when I lived at home," Dakota says. "Tell me you weren't getting all of this from an _article_?" She spits out article the same way that some people spit out unwanted mushrooms on a pizza. Some paparazzi really aren't much better than a bunch of over-cooked fungus, and so it is an apt metaphor in Dakota's head. 

There is a pause again on the other line, and the sound of Elle clearing her throat. Dakota sighs, heavily and purposefully; Maleficent herself could not give more tone to a sigh than Dakota is doing at the moment. 

"Oh, Elle, you should _know better_ than to pay attention to an article," Dakota complains when her sister still doesn’t reply immediately. 

"It's just. They did get some things right," Elle says reluctantly. "They got ... the parts about me wanting to go after big roles. They got the parts about you not caring as much about that anymore."

"That's how they get away with selling their stories," Dakota reminds her. "Put a dash of truth in, add a whole quart of lies, and nobody can accuse you of libel. It's not _all_ untrue, after all." 

"Taking another media criticism course again?" Elle sounds so bored about it, as though media studies isn't the best class that NYU has to offer. 

This is why Dakota loves her current life so much. She is 3000 miles away from people who do not understand her interests, and she gets to occasionally share living space with a woman who would spend four hours on the phone with Dakota discussing Dakota's media studies courses. 

Then, of course, sometimes that woman flies 3000 miles to see Dakota in person, so the four hour telephone conversations are not necessary.

"No. Look, I'm not quitting acting, I still love you even though you are obnoxious, and I'm really tired, so - "

"And you aren't joining a band, right?" 

"What? No!" Dakota winces at the loudness of her own voice, because Kristen blinks up at her sleepily and mouths _"rude"_. 

"Well, there's no reason to freak out about a simple question, _Hannah_." 

At this point, Dakota hangs up, rolls her eyes and snuggles down next to Kristen, who rolls over and throws a lazy arm over Dakota's waist. It's a wonderful feeling, and Dakota is pretty sure that she is not ever moving. If Elle has any more questions, she can call up her new best buddies, Angelina and Brad, and ask them about how to deal with people writing ridiculous stories about your family. 

"Little sister lose her mind again?" Kristen asks. Her voice is rougher than normal, with the extra edge that comes with not being fully awake. It's deep and scruffy and it scratches up against Dakota's soul the way a hungry cat rubs against their owner's leg at dinner time: insistent, persistent, and a reminder that the world can and does revolve around her presence.

And while that is a fleeting notion for a cat, it is also a fleeting notion for an actress who has to spend much of her time completely devoted to another world that exists entirely outside of this bedroom.

"Apparently the current rumor is that I am going to quit acting and join a band," Dakota tells her. 

"Mmm." Kristen's night shirt brushes against Dakota's bare arm as Kristen shifts in the bed to get a better snuggling position. "I hope I get to join your band." 

"That sounds like pretty familiar territory," Dakota teases. 

Laughter erupts and the comforting warmth of Kristen's breath onto Dakota's neck is enough to be even more distracting to Dakota's plans of sleeping than Elle's phone call had been. 

The phone begins to ring again at the moment that Dakota's fingers begin to tug at the elastic of Kristen's underwear. Dakota has no doubt that the person on the other end of the line wants to ask her about her plans to quit Hollywood. Maybe it's her parents, maybe her manager, maybe Chris Evans, maybe some friends from her media criticism course, maybe Denzel Washington ... maybe any of the talented actors she has been lucky enough to work with; they can wait. 

They can all wait because for just right now, it is Dakota and Kristen and their duet does not need any additional voices.


End file.
